| melanoma
Keytruda vs Imlygic
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for melanoma.Deep comparison between: Keytruda vs Imlygic with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.Safety signalsImlygic has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Keytruda based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Imlygic but not Keytruda, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Keytruda
Imlygic
At A Glance
IV infusion
Every 3 weeks or Every 6 weeks
PD-1 inhibitor
Intralesional injection
Every 2-3 weeks
Oncolytic viral therapy
Indications
- melanoma
- Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
- Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
- Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Mediastinal (Thymic) Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Urothelial Carcinoma
- Colorectal Carcinoma
- Stomach Carcinoma
- Esophageal carcinoma
- Cervix carcinoma
- Liver carcinoma
- Biliary Tract Cancer
- Merkel cell carcinoma
- Renal Cell Carcinoma
- Endometrial Carcinoma
- Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma
- Malignant neoplasm of ovary
- Squamous cell carcinoma of skin
- Melanoma
Dosing
melanoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics
Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics
Mediastinal (Thymic) Large B-Cell Lymphoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics
Urothelial Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Colorectal Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics
Stomach Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Esophageal carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Cervix carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Liver carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Biliary Tract Cancer 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Merkel cell carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV for adults; 2 mg/kg (up to 200 mg) every 3 weeks IV for pediatrics
Renal Cell Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV as single agent or in combination with axitinib 5 mg orally twice daily or lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily
Endometrial Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, or with lenvatinib 20 mg orally once daily, or as single agent for MSI-H or dMMR tumors
Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Malignant neoplasm of ovary 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Squamous cell carcinoma of skin 200 mg every 3 weeks or 400 mg every 6 weeks IV
Melanoma Initial dose up to 4 mL at 1 million PFU/mL intralesionally; second dose 3 weeks later up to 4 mL at 100 million PFU/mL; all subsequent doses every 2 weeks up to 4 mL at 100 million PFU/mL.
Contraindications
- Immunocompromised patients, including those with primary or acquired immunodeficiency, leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS or other clinical manifestations of HIV infection, or on immunosuppressive therapy
- Pregnant patients
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=20%) fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, decreased appetite, rash, diarrhea, nausea, cough, dyspnea, constipation, pruritus, hypothyroidism
Serious pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies, nephritis with renal dysfunction, dermatologic adverse reactions, myocarditis, neurological toxicities, infusion-related reactions, immune-mediated adverse reactions
Postmarketing exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, sclerosing cholangitis
Most common (>=25%) Fatigue, chills, pyrexia, nausea, influenza-like illness, injection site pain
Serious Cellulitis (most common grade 3+ reaction), herpetic infection, injection site complications
Postmarketing Disseminated herpetic infections, including serious and fatal cases in immunocompromised patients
Pharmacology
Pembrolizumab is a PD-1 blocking antibody that releases PD-1 pathway-mediated inhibition of the immune response by preventing the interaction of PD-1 with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby restoring anti-tumor immune response.
Oncolytic viral therapy; genetically modified live attenuated HSV-1 that replicates within tumors causing lysis and release of tumor-derived antigens, and produces GM-CSF to promote an antitumor immune response; exact mechanism of action is unknown.
Enter your patient's insuranceCheck specific coverage details for your patient.
Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Keytruda
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (12/12) · Step Therapy (0/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
Imlygic
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (2/12) · Step Therapy (0/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Keytruda
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Imlygic
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Humana
Keytruda
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (2/3)
Imlygic
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (2/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
No savings programs available for Keytruda.
Cost estimate not availableAmgen Safety Net Foundation
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.